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Better Local Journalism, by Local Reporters, Is the Goal of a New Database

Matthew Sedacca

November 18, 2018 |

The New York Times |

Multi-Media |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: United States

Shoeleather is a database that connects editors across the country with local journalists. So far, 400 people have joined. Rather than relying on journalists from large media outlets to cover local communities, the database is aimed at using the knowledge and expertise of local reports to cover their own communities.

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This tool helps you make sure your 401(k) is supporting gender equality

Adele Peters

November 13, 2018 |

FastCompany |

Text |

Under 800 Words

Response Location: United States

Gender Equality Funds is a tool that makes it possible for people to know if the mutual fund companies in their 401(k)’s are gender inclusive. The tools pulls data from 4,000 mutual funds companies and gives them a gender score. The aim is to empower people to invest their money in socially responsible funds. “I believe this is going to be a tsunami of capital shifting away from companies that are not responsive on gender equality.”

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The Crime Machine, Part II

PJ Vogt

October 12, 2018 |

Gimlet Media |

Podcast |

Over 15 Minutes

Response Location: United States, New York, New York

CompStat seemed like a miracle of technology and data when it was rolled out in New York City in the 1990s. Crime dropped as police leadership demanded precincts report every crime and what they were doing about it at weekly meetings where they were pressured to conform to this new system. But this also resulted in police distorting actual crime data to avoid reporting crimes in their districts and the push for increased police activity resulted in cops targeting minorities for minor offenses.

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The Crime Machine, Part I

PJ Vogt

October 11, 2018 |

Gimlet Media |

Podcast |

Over 15 Minutes

Response Location: United States, New York, New York

The creation of CompStat fostered a huge drop in crime rates in New York City by the 1990s. The idea came from an odd and obsessive transit cop was to track every single crime daily in every precinct and use that data to systematically go after everything from murders to low-level crimes once ignored by police. It was a drastic shift in the way NYPD worked and was credited with making the city far safer, but was also flawed.

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Amazon scraps secret AI recruiting tool that showed bias against women

Jeffrey Dastin

October 09, 2018 |

Reuters |

Text |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: United States, Seattle, Washington

Amazon trashed its automated resume-reviewing software after the company discovered that the software had taught itself to discriminate against women applicants. The situation shows the limits of machine learning in human resources.

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Colleges are starting to teach blockchain technology -- but its not enough for some

Sarah Gonser

September 17, 2018 |

The Hechinger Report |

Text |

1500-3000 Words

Response Location: United States, Berkeley, California

While some universities have been hesitant to let blockchain technology into the traditional halls of academia, UC Berkeley has started offering blockchain entrepreneurship courses and student-run blockchain clubs and is actively looking for more ways to collaborate with industry partners. But UC Berkeley is also the first to admit the transition has challenges - those interviewed cited the lack of infrastructure, rapid rate of technological change, and uniquely multidisciplinary nature of the subject area as barriers to timely and enthusiastic adoption.

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Connecting your medical data could be the next big payoff

Arthur Allen

September 12, 2018 |

Politico |

Text |

1500-3000 Words

Response Location: United States, Worcester, Massachusetts

As new Medicare requirements and expenses change, new start-ups are stepping up to move the hospital industry to share data more easily and break down the silos that keep care from being efficient for both patient and provider. The new strategies are helping to coordinate care and services for the highest-risk patients, but there are still concerns that the data sharing is not a long-term solution.

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Mobile phone data could help speed up crucial aid to disaster victims

Fergus Peace

August 28, 2018 |

Apolitical |

Text |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: Haiti

When disaster strikes, people are often quick to provide help -- but that help is often misdirected because it is hard to know where those who need help are located. Researchers are now exploring how to use cell towers and mobile data to predict movement and provide better services.

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Can the Manufacturer of Tasers Provide the Answer to Police Abuse?

Dana Goodyear

August 27, 2018 |

The New Yorker |

Multi-Media |

Over 3000 Words

Response Location: United States

Data suggests that when an officer is wearing a body camera the likelihood that they will shoot a person decreases by as much as 60 percent. Axon Enterprises, which originally made a fortune from selling taser guns to police departments, started investing in body cameras back in 2006. Now, they are the largest manufacturer “holding contracts with more than half the major police departments in the country.” The company believes this technology will bridge the gap between lethal force and safety.

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Automated Fact-checking

Tim Harford

August 27, 2018 |

BBC |

Radio |

5-15 Minutes

Response Location: United Kingdom

Technology has made it easier to fact-check speeches and interviews in real time. The organization Fullfact has made software that processes dialogue looking for claims and highlights whether those claims match verified data. The tools help fact-checkers contribute to public debate around the world.

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